Splicer for webs of packaging material wound onto bobbins

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for splicing webs with little or no reduction in the operating speed. The apparatus includes a first pivoting member and a fixed opposing element, a second pivoting member which pivots about the same axis as the first pivoting member, a pair of nipping rollers mounted on the pivoting circle of an outer surface of the second pivoting member, a splicing device for the webs, a device for guiding the second web between the second pivoting member and the opposing element, and a cutting device for excess web material. The apparatus first guides the second web between the second pivoting member and the opposing element. Thereafter the second pivoting member and the opposing element converge to clamp the second web therebetween and an adhesive is applied to the second web. Next the first pivoting member pivots such that the second pivoting member, the opposing element, and the second web work in cooperation to contact the first web to the second web for splicing. The nipping rollers, second pivoting member, and opposing element cooperate to pinch the webs together to aid in splicing. The excess portions of both webs are cut and removed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the packaging of products and, moreparticularly, to the splicing of webs of packaging material which havebeen wound onto bobbins of cigarette packaging machines. Morespecifically, the present invention is directed to apparatus forsplicing webs of packaging material at normal withdrawal speeds withoutmanual intervention and without any reduction of packaging speed.Accordingly, the general objects of the present invention are to providenovel and improved apparatus and methods of such character.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Packaging machines employing one or more supply bobbins for packagingmaterial in web format are well known in the art. In the prior artmachines, the web of packaging material is typically unwound from anactive supply bobbin at a high rate of speed and routed, via one or morerollers, to a remote location where wrapping of the product to bepackaged occurs. Since these packaging machines are typically used nearthe final station of an assembly line, smooth and efficient operation ofthe entire assembly line demands that the packaging machine be able tooperate with sufficient speed to keep up with the supply of productsfrom the earlier stages of the assembly line. Thus, any slow down of thepackaging operation can have adverse consequences on the efficiency ofthe entire assembly line.

Packaging machines were originally developed for use with a singlebobbin for supplying the packaging material. In these machines, the webof packaging material was dispensed from the bobbin until the bobbin wasexhausted. One major drawback of the more primitive of these earlybobbin-type packaging machines is that the machine would invariably haveto be shut down when the web of packaging material became completelyunwound from the bobbin. After the packaging machine had been shut down,the empty bobbin could then be removed from the packaging machine andreplaced with a fresh bobbin having a new roll of packaging material.Once the new roll of packaging material had been loaded onto thepackaging machine, the packaging of products could once again resume ata normal rate. However, as mentioned above, the shut down time of thepackaging machine resulted in significant reduction in the efficiency,and a concomitant interruption, of the entire assembly line. Thus, aneed existed for a packaging machine in which the web of packagingmaterial could be replaced with a new web of packaging material withlittle or no stoppage of the packaging process. This need has resultedin the development of packaging machines employing a plurality ofbobbins, each having a web of packaging material wound thereon, and asplicing apparatus for automated switch-over to a full bobbin ofpackaging material when most of the web of packaging material wasunwound from the active bobbin.

One device which attempts to achieve bobbin replacement with little orno interruption of the packaging operation is disclosed in German Patent39 29 981. In this device the transition from the nearly exhaustedbobbin of packaging material to a full bobbin is achieved by splicingthe leading end of a new web of packaging material on a full bobbin tothe web being withdrawn from the nearly exhausted bobbin. In thisdevice, the new web of packaging material to be spliced is held ahead ofone or more nipping rollers by a clamping strip and a cut out in anadjacent nipping roller. When splicing is to occur, the clamping stripreleases the new web of packaging material and the nipping rollers gripthe end of the new web with a friction section. However, in order foreffective splicing to occur with the device of German Patent 39 29 981,the operating speed of the packaging machine must be greatly reduced.This speed reduction results in a loss of packaging efficiency, albeitto a lesser degree, in the same manner as experienced with a singlebobbin machine. Thus, although this device does reduce theinefficiencies associated with bobbin replacement in packaging machines,it has, by no means, eliminated the problem altogether.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the above-discussed disadvantages andother deficiencies of the prior art by joining a nearly exhausted web ofpackaging material to the leading edge of new web of packaging materialwithout the need for manual intervention and with little or no reductionin the product through-put rate of a packaging process.

Apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a splicerwhich includes a first pivoting member, an opposing element which is infixed relation to the first pivoting member, a second pivoting memberwhich pivots about the same axis as the first pivoting member, at leastone nipping roller which is mounted to the packaging machine on thepivoting circle of the first pivoting member and a device for feedingthe leading end of a web of packaging material between the secondpivoting member and the opposing element. In their initial positions,the second pivoting member and the opposing element are in spacedrelation to one another thereby defining a gap therebetween. At thebeginning of a splicing operation the device for feeding the leading endof a new web of packaging material between the second pivoting memberand the opposing element passes the web of packaging material throughthis gap. The second pivoting member and the opposing element thenconverge to a clamping position wherein they cooperate to clamp the newweb therebetween and an adhesive is applied to one surface of the newweb. The combination of the second pivoting member, the opposingelement, and the new web of packaging material then pivots such that thenew web of packaging material is brought into substantially tangentialcontact with the other web (i.e. the old nearly exhausted web) ofpackaging material at substantially the same rate of speed as the oldweb of packaging material is moving. The nipping rollers providesufficient pressure to aid bonding between the old and new webs ofpackaging material thereby forming a splice. The excess portions of bothwebs of packaging material are cut and removed for disposal. Thus, thetransition from the nearly exhausted web of packaging material to thenew web of packaging material can occur with little or no reduction inthe operating speed of the packaging machine. Since the new bobbin nowsupplies the web of packaging material for the packaging process, theold bobbin can be replaced with a fresh bobbin and eventually the web ofpackaging material on the newly replaced bobbin can be spliced onto theother yet another web of packaging material when it too becomes nearlyexhausted. Thus, a packaging machine employing the present invention cancontinuously supply packaging material and completely avoid the need forslowing or stopping the entire assembly line as was heretoforenecessary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention may be better understood and its numerous objectsand advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art byreference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numeralsrefer to like elements in the several figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a splicer in accordance with thepresent invention in the environment of a packaging machine;

FIG. 2 is a more detailed view of the splicer depicted in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 illustrate the method of splicing two webs ofpackaging material together implemented by the splicer depicted in FIGS.1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENT

A splicer in accordance with the present invention is shownschematically in FIG. 1 in combination with a packaging machine. Aturntable 1 is located near the top of the packaging machine and thepackaging machine has a drive mechanism (not illustrated) for rotatingturntable 1 in either direction. A first holding journal 2 is locatednear the perimeter of turntable 1. A second holding journal, which issubstantially similar to the first holding journal 2, is also locatednear the perimeter of turntable 1 but, in the disclosed embodiment, isgenerally diametrically opposed to holding journal 2. A first bobbin 3",with a bobbin core 4, is clamped to holding journal 2 for rotationthereon. A second bobbin 3' is clamped to the second holding journal ina similar fashion. For purposes of explanation, first bobbin 3" has beenshown in the nearly exhausted state. Bobbin 3", with a web of packagingmaterial 9" in roll form stored thereon, rotates about an axis which isoriented substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of second bobbin3' which has a new web of packaging material 9' disposed thereon. Firstand second bobbins 3" and 3' can be wound with a web of any of the manywell known packaging materials such as paper, foil, or a plastic filmand equivalents thereof.

In order to splice the leading end of the new web 9' of packagingmaterial to the old web 9", the leading end of web 9' must first beseparated from the remainder of the roll on bobbin 3'. While therepresently exist many devices and methods for lifting the leading edgewhich are compatible with the present invention, only one will bedescribed below. As shown in FIG. 1, the means for lifting the leadingend of web 9' includes a lever 5 which pivots about an axis 6 and has afreely movable slide 7 at one end thereof. Slide 7 has a knife 8 on oneend thereof. To lift the end of web 9', lever 5 is rotated about axis 6so that knife 8 of slide 7 approaches the outer surface of the roll ofweb 9'. When knife 8 makes initial contact with web 9', the leading endof web 9' will be engaged thereby and lifted off of the surface of theroll. As an alternative, a radially displaceable friction body can beused to engage and lift the leading edge of web 9' from the roll.Additionally, compressed air can be directed along the surface of web 9'with either constant or varying intensity to assist separation of theleading end of web 9' from the remainder of the roll. However,regardless of the method used to lift the leading edge of web 9', whenthe leading end of web 9' is lifted from the rest of web 9', it will beengaged by a web-material gripper 10.

Referring to now to FIGS. 1 and 3, web-material gripper 10 includes alever 11 which is pivotably mounted for rotation about an axis 12between two end positions. In the first position, a roller 13, which islocated at a free end of an arm 11' of lever 11, rests against the outersurface of web 9'. A second roller 14 is supported on a freely movableslide 15 with its axis of rotation substantially parallel to that ofroller 13. When the leading end of web 9' has been lifted off of bobbin3' the leading end of web 9' falls in the gap between rollers 13 and 14.Slide 15 then moves along arm 11' toward roller 13 until the leading endof web 9' is pinched between roller 13 and roller 14. Optionally, otherknown gripping means can be employed to clamp the leading end of web 9'to roller 13.

A cylinder 16 and a forked element 17 connected to cylinder 16 are usedto cause lever 11 to pivot about axis 12. In an initial position, oneend of lever 11 is received within forked element 17 such that a counterweight 18 on lever 11 urges roller 13 against the outer surface of web9'. After the leading edge of web 9' has been clamped between rollers 13and 14, cylinder 16 causes vertical displacement of forked piece 17 suchthat arm 11' can pivot downward about axis 12 pulling the leading edgeof web 9' downward with it.

As the leading edge of web 9' is guided downwardly via the movement oflever 11, it passes through the gap between a circular cylindricalsegment 21, which is rotatably supported on a disc member 20, and anopposing element 22 which is also mounted on member 20. Member 20 andsegment 21 are rotatable about an axle 19 having an axis which extendsgenerally perpendicular to the transporting plane of webs of 9' and 9".This transporting plane is defined as the plane through which webs 9'and 9" move as they are unwound from bobbins 3' and 3" respectively. Therelationship between opposing element 22 and disc member 20 is fixedwhile segment 21 is rotatable independently of disc member 20.Preferably, the outer surface of segment 21 defines a partialcylindrical surface where the cylinder has a radius equal to thedistance between pivot axis 19 and the outer surface of segment 21.Additionally, a friction roller 23 is mounted on segment 21. Frictionroller 23 rotates about an axis which is substantially parallel to axis19.

Opposing element 22 has a complementary partially cylindrically shapedindented region 24 for engagement with friction roller 23. As segment 21and opposing element 22 are moved from the initial position depicted inFIG. 3 to a clamping position as represented by FIG. 4, the leading endof web 9' is clamped between the surface of friction roller 23 andcomplementary surface 24. Opposing element 22 has an outer surface 22'which, like the outer surface of segment 21, defines a partialcylindrical surface where the cylinder has a radius equal to thedistance between axis 19 and the edge of outer surface 22'. Thus,surface 22' forms a cylindrical extension of the outer surface ofsegment 21 when segment 21 and opposing element 22 are in the clampingposition. In other words, the outer surface of segment 21 and the outersurface of 22' of opposing element 22 cooperate to define a partialcylindrical surface having a radius equal to the distance between axis19 and the edge of the surfaces.

Referring now to FIG. 3, opposing element 22 further comprises a cut outregion or recess 25, which is generally semi-circular in shape, locatedadjacent to indented surface 24. A holder 26, which is also preferablysemi-circular in shape, is rotatably mounted within recess 25. A knife27 for cutting web 9' is also mounted in recess 25. Knife 27 ispreferably a perforation knife and is mounted in such a manner thatrotation of holder 26 exposes knife 27. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 4and 5, rotation of holder 26 in one direction closes a wedge shaped gaplocated between segment 21 and opposing element 22 when they are in theclamped position.

With web 9' clamped between segment 21 and opposing element 22, aloop-forming lever 28, which is mounted at one end thereof for rotationabout an axis 29, begins to pivot toward web 9' such that the free endof loop-forming lever 28 engages web 9' to form a loop therein.Preferably, the free end of loop-forming lever 28 supports a deflectionplate 30, a deflection roller or some equivalent thereof, which projectsapproximately at a right angle to loop-forming lever 28 to aid loopformation.

First and second nipping rollers 31' and 31" are located in spacedrelation to one another and are spring biased into the circumferentialpath of the outer surface of segment 21 and outer surface of 22' ofopposing element 22. First and second nipping rollers 31' and 31" arepreferably mounted to the ends of first and second levers respectively.While web 9" is normally guided by nipping rollers 31' and 31", nippingrollers 31' and 31" also provide pressure to aid joining of webs 9' and9" when splicing occurs.

In the disclosed embodiment of the present invention, a gluing head 32is movably mounted to the packaging machine. Gluing head 32 can be movedwithin the loop of web 9', which is created by loop-forming lever 28,and used to apply glue to one surface of web 9'. This glue can be in theform of a plurality of beads of glue and is preferably hot glue. In analternative embodiment, an element 37, located in the region betweenfirst and second nipping rollers 31' and 31", can be used to bond webs9' and 9" together through heating, welding or embossing therebyeliminating the need to use a gluing head and an adhesive.

Finally, the present invention includes a means for cutting web 9" aftersplicing has occurred. Preferably the cutting means comprises a rotatingknife 33 which is rotated at the same circumferential speed as the speedof web 9". To cut web 9", knife 33 is rotated about its axis and movedinto the path of web 9" thereby cleanly cutting web 9". Optionally,knife 33 can be moved in to the path of web 9" along a circular arc viaa pivotably mounted lever or the knife can approach web 9" linearly.

The operation of the above-described apparatus will now be describedwith reference to FIGS. 1 and 3-5. First, segment 21 is pivoted aboutaxis 19 away from opposing element 22 to create a gap through which web9' may freely pass. Web material gripper 10 then moves into engagementwith web 9', which is wound on bobbin 3', such that roller 13 engagesthe outer surface of web 9'. The leading end of web 9' is lifted fromthe surface of the roll on bobbin 3' via knife 8 on slide 7 and slide 15drives roller 14 along arm 11" of lever 11 toward roller 13. Whenrollers 13 and 14 make contact with the raised leading end thereof, web9' is clamped between rollers 13 and 14. Cylinder 16 causes forkedelement 17 to engage one end of lever 11 thereby causing downward motionof arm 11', rollers 13 and 14 and web 9'. The downward movement of arm11' guides the leading end of web 9' through the gap between segment 21and opposing element 22.

When arm 11' reaches its lowest point, web 9' is positioned betweensegment 21 and opposing element 22 and the leading edge of web 9' willextend between, and be clamped by, a pair of roll off rollers 34.Segment 21 is then rotated about axis 19 to clamp web 9' between thefriction roller 23 and complementary indented surface 24 of opposingelement 22. Optionally, web 9' can also be clamped between the flatsurface of holder 26 of opposing element 22 and a planar counter surfaceon segment 21.

Next, loop-forming lever 28 pivots into the path of web 9' therebyforming a loop in web 9'. Gluing head 32 then moves into the regionwithin the loop and applies an adhesive to one surface of web 9'.Optionally, head 32 can apply double-sided adhesive strips or adhesivespots.

Preferably the glue is applied such that the bead extends along web 9'up to a point adjacent to holder 26. When holder 26 is subsequentlyrotated to expose knife 27, a portion of web 9' is drawn into the wedgeshaped gap between segment 21 and opposing element 22. Thus, since theglued portion of web 9' previously extended to a point adjacent toholder 26, the glued portion of web 9' now extends into the seam betweensegment 21 and opposing member 22.

With segment 21 in a clamped position with opposing element 22, disc 20rotates in the direction of web 9". After disc 20 has rotated to thepoint where web 9' is in engagement with web 9" between nipping rollers31' and 31", knife 27, which was previously exposed by rotation ofholder 26, cuts through web 9' and the end region of web 9' is bonded toweb 9" by the second compressive action of nipping roller 31". Thus, web9' is bonded to web 9" at the very end of web 9' leaving no portionwhich could bend up and be caught up on some part during subsequenttransport. Since nipping rollers 31' and 31" are resiliently mountedinto the path of the pivoting circle of the outer surfaces of segment 21and opposing member 22, they ensure effective bonding between webs 9'and 9".

After webs 9' and 9" have been bonded, knife 33 rotates and is broughtinto the path of web 9" thereby cutting off the remainder of web 9".Additionally, segment 21 and opposing element 22 disengage and theexcess leader portion of web 9' which has been separated from the restof web 9' is disposed of by transport through roll-off rollers 34.

Next, segment 21 and opposing element 22 are rotated out of the path ofspliced web 9' via rotation of disc 20 and lever 28 returns to aninitial position so that web 9' now contacts, and is guided by, nippingrollers 31' and 31".

Turntable 1 can then be rotated such that bobbin 3' moves into the upperposition which was previously occupied by bobbin 3" without adverselyaffecting the packaging process. Since bobbin 3' now supplies packagingmaterial for packaging products, the now inoperative bobbin 3" can beremoved from holding journal 2 and replaced with a full bobbin having anew web of packing material wound thereon. When web 9' eventuallybecomes nearly exhausted, web 9' can be spliced onto the web ofpackaging material wound onto the bobbin which replaces bobbin 3" in themanner described above.

While a preferred embodiment and a number of alternatives thereto havebeen shown and described, various other modifications and substitutionsmay be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the presentinvention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a packaging machine having first and secondbobbins with first and second webs of packaging material wound on thefirst and second bobbins respectively, an apparatus for splicing thefirst and second webs of packaging material as they are unwound from thefirst and second bobbins, the paths of the first and second webs ofpackaging material defining a transporting plane, the apparatuscomprising:a. a first pivoting member pivotably mounted to the packagingmachine, wherein said first pivoting member pivots about an axissubstantially perpendicular to the transporting plane; b. an opposingelement in fixed relation to said first pivoting member, wherein saidopposing element includes a second knife for cutting the second web ofpackaging material, and an outer surface which defines a partialcylindrical surface of a cylinder which is coaxial with said axis ofsaid first pivoting member; c. a second pivoting member pivotablymounted to the packaging machine, wherein said second pivoting memberpivots about said axis of said first pivoting member, said secondpivoting member pivoting between at least a retracted position, whereinsaid opposing element and said second pivoting member cooperate todefine a gap for passage of the second web of packaging material, and aclamping position, wherein said opposing element and said secondpivoting member cooperate to clamp the second web of packaging materialtherebetween, said second pivoting member including an outer surfacewhich defines a partial cylindrical surface of a cylinder which iscoaxial with said axis of said first pivoting member, said outer surfaceforming a cylindrical extension of said outer surface of said opposingelement when said second pivoting member and said opposing element arein said clamping position; d. a web-material gripper for feeding theleading end of the second web of packaging material through said gapdefined by said opposing element and said second pivoting member whensaid second pivoting member is in said retracted position; e. means forjoining the first and second webs of packaging material; f. first andsecond nipping rollers for guiding the first web of packaging material,said first and second nipping rollers being located in the pivotingcircle of said outer surface of said second pivoting member such thatthe first and second webs of packaging material are pinched between saidnipping rollers and said outer surfaces of said second pivoting memberand said opposing element as said first pivoting member pivots; and g. afirst knife for cutting the first web of packaging material aftersplicing has occurred.
 2. An apparatus for splicing first and secondwebs of packaging material as recited in claim 1, wherein said secondpivoting member further comprises a friction roller which pivots aboutan axis perpendicular to the transporting plane, and wherein saidopposing element further comprises a cylindrical indented region adaptedfor engagement with said friction roller of said second pivoting member,when said second pivoting member and said opposing element are in saidclamping position, such that the second web of packaging material ispinched therebetween.
 3. An apparatus for splicing first and second websof packaging material as recited in claim 2, wherein said web materialgripper comprises a lever which is pivotably mounted for rotation aboutan axis perpendicular to the transporting plane such that one end ofsaid lever is capable of engagement with the second web of packagingmaterial before it has been unwound from the second bobbin, and a meansfor clamping the leading end of the second web of packaging materialafter it has been lifted off of the second bobbin.
 4. An apparatus forsplicing first and second webs of packaging material as recited in claim3, wherein said means for clamping the leading end of the second web ofpackaging material comprises first and second friction rollers which canbe pressed against one another to clamp the second web of packagingmaterial therebetween.
 5. An apparatus for splicing first and secondwebs of packaging material as recited in claim 4, wherein said webmaterial gripper further comprises a counterweight mounted on said leverfor urging rotation of said lever about said axis.
 6. An apparatus forsplicing first and second webs of packaging material as recited in claim5, further comprising a pair of roll-off rollers for removing thedetached portion of the second web of packaging material after it hasbeen cut with said second knife of said opposing element, and whereinsaid web material gripper guides the second web of packaging materialbetween said roll-off rollers.
 7. An apparatus for splicing first andsecond webs of packaging material as recited in claim 6, wherein saidfirst and second nipping rollers are resiliently biased into thepivoting circle of said outer surface of said second pivoting member. 8.An apparatus for splicing first and second webs of packaging material asrecited in claim 7, wherein said means for joining the first and secondwebs of packaging material comprises a loop-forming lever for forming aloop in the second web of packaging material, and a gluing head whichcan be moved into the region within the loop created by said loopforming-lever for applying an adhesive to the second web of packagingmaterial.
 9. An apparatus for splicing first and second webs ofpackaging material as recited in claim 8, wherein said loop-forminglever is pivotably mounted at one end thereof for rotation about anaxis, and wherein the opposite end of said loop-forming lever can bepivoted into the path of the second web of packaging material to createa loop therein.
 10. An apparatus for splicing first and second webs ofpackaging material as recited in claim 9, wherein said second pivotingmember further comprises a clamping surface, and wherein said opposingelement further comprises a holder having a circular segment shaperotatably mounted to said opposing element for rotation about an axiswhich is parallel to said axis of said first pivoting member, forclamping said second web of packaging material between said holder andsaid clamping surface of said second pivoting member.
 11. An apparatusfor splicing first and second webs of packaging material as recited inclaim 10, wherein said second knife of said opposing element is exposedby rotation of said holder.
 12. An apparatus for splicing first andsecond webs of packaging material as recited in claim 11, wherein saidsecond pivoting member further comprises a cut-out region adjacent tosaid clamping surface, wherein said cut-out region of said secondpivoting member and said holder of said opposing element cooperate todefine a gap therebetween, and wherein said holder of said opposingelement can be rotated into said cut-out region of said second pivotingmember such that at least a portion of the second web of packagingmaterial is drawn into said gap as said holder is rotated.
 13. Anapparatus for splicing first and second webs of packaging material asrecited in claim 1, wherein said web material gripper comprises a leverwhich is pivotably mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular tothe transporting plane such that one end of said lever is capable ofengagement with the second web of packaging material before it has beenunwound from the second bobbin, and a means for clamping the leading endof the second web of packaging material after it has been lifted off ofthe second bobbin.
 14. An apparatus for splicing first and second websof packaging material as recited in claim 13, wherein said means forclamping the leading end of the second web of packaging materialcomprises first and second friction rollers which can be pressed againstone another to clamp the second web of packaging material therebetween.15. An apparatus for splicing first and second webs of packagingmaterial as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second nippingrollers are resiliently biased into the pivoting circle of said outersurface of said second pivoting member.
 16. An apparatus for splicingfirst and second webs of packaging material as recited in claim 1,wherein said means for joining the first and second webs of packagingmaterial comprises a loop-forming lever for forming a loop in the secondweb of packaging material, and a gluing head which can be moved into theregion within the loop created by said loop forming lever for applyingan adhesive to the second web of packaging material.
 17. An apparatusfor splicing first and second webs of packaging material as recited inclaim 16, wherein said loop-forming lever is pivotably mounted at oneend thereof for rotation about an axis, and wherein the opposite end ofsaid loop-forming lever can be pivoted into the path of the second webof packaging material to create a loop therein.
 18. An apparatus forsplicing first and second webs of packaging material as recited in claim1, wherein said second pivoting member further comprises a clampingsurface, and wherein said opposing element further comprises a holderhaving a circular segment shape rotatably mounted to said opposingelement for rotation about an axis which is parallel to said axis ofsaid first pivoting member, for clamping said second web of packagingmaterial between said holder and said clamping surface of said secondpivoting member.
 19. An apparatus for splicing first and second webs ofpackaging material as recited in claim 18, wherein said second knife ofsaid opposing element is exposed by rotation of said holder.
 20. Anapparatus for splicing first and second webs of packaging material asrecited in claim 19, wherein said second pivoting member furthercomprises a cut-out region adjacent to said clamping surface, whereinsaid cut-out region of said second pivoting member and said holder ofsaid opposing element cooperate to define a gap therebetween, andwherein said holder of said opposing element can be rotated into saidcut-out region of said second pivoting member such that at least aportion of the second web of packaging material is drawn into said gapas said holder is rotated.